folktale

noun

Definition of folktalenext
as in tale
a traditional description of imaginary events circulated orally among a people West African folktales that continue to be passed from generation to generation through storytelling

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of folktale The body horror of birth gives way to the fairy-tale horror of early motherhood, which McBride, a translator based in Barcelona, strews with literary Easter eggs from folktales and Victorian poetry. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Pritam invokes the 18th-century Punjabi Sufi poet Waris Shah, whose version of the Punjabi folktale Heer retells the tragic love story of Heer and Ranjha. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 Disney made its name on the back of fairy and folktales, retelling centuries-old stories and giving them a fresh new spin for modern audiences. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026 Irving may have been influenced by German folktales about a man who slept for 20 years, or European stories of terrifying headless riders, but these stories were set in rural New York state, with a distinctly American voice and references. — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for folktale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for folktale
  1. tale
  2. legend
  3. story
  4. myth
  5. history
  6. romance
Noun
  • Wildwood is a dark tale, with whispers of a witch, set against the beautiful yet formidable backdrop of rural New England.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The tale is energized by the thoughtful performances of Hanns Zischler, as Mann, and Sandra Hüller, as the author’s daughter Erika, who accompanies him while reviving conflicts from her own past.
    — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of tale
Noun
  • The exact story of how coffee was discovered isn’t known for sure, but one popular legend says an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi noticed that when his goats ate from a red berry plant, they were infused with energy and stayed awake all night.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Honoring the legend with your meat is the only way to truly pay your respects.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of legend
Noun
  • The Same Curve, Every Time Skeptics have been telling this story for a hundred years.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But all that warm, crowd-pleasing material is incongruously, fascinatingly, and not so comfortably fitted inside a story about great loss.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of story
Noun
  • Also intertwined are ancient myths of warring city-states, the raw, moody poetry of John Keats, and the modern battle between a faithless husband and his wife, the poem’s raging speaker.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In eighth-century myths the aes sidhe are literally called the tribe of the gods, and there’s a story as well, in an account of Patrick’s life written in the late seventh century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of myth
Noun
  • The latest public records trove from the federal government details spooky — yet, unverified — history of UFOs on Catalina?
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Here’s a closer look at where those marks rank in UM history.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of history
Noun
  • The couple first sparked romance rumors in November 2025 after they were photographed together in New York City.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Genres run from crime thrillers and detective mysteries to folklore horror, social and courtroom drama, and romance.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of romance

Browse Nearby Words

folksy
folktale
folktales
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Folktale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/folktale. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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